Grandala

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Grandala
A troop of Grandalas in Nepal, the third bird from the left is a female

A troop of Grandalas in Nepal,
the third bird from the left is a female

Systematics
Order : Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination : Songbirds (passeri)
Family : Thrushes (Turdidae)
Subfamily : Myadestinae
Genre : Grandala
Type : Grandala
Scientific name of the  genus
Grandala
Hodgson , 1843
Scientific name of the  species
Grandala coelicolor
Hodgson, 1843
Male (top) and female (bottom) of the Grandala, color lithograph after a drawing by John Gould , 1862

The grandala ( Grandala coelicolor ) is a songbird species that most current authors place in the thrush family , but often also in the flycatcher . Their systematic classification is therefore unclear and a separate family (Grandalidae) is sometimes suggested for this species. It is in the monotypical genus Grandala . The species inhabits rocky landscapes above the tree line from the western Himalayas to the high mountains in the northwest of the People's Republic of China .

description

The grandala is a thrush-like bird with a relatively fine beak. With a body length of 19–23 cm, it is about the same size as a song thrush . The weight is between 38 and 52 g. The legs and wings are quite long. When sitting, the species is reminiscent of a red chalk , when in flight of a star . The male is notable for its ultramarine blue plumage. The reins, wing and rudder feathers , beak and legs are blackish. The female is brown-gray with a bluish tinted rump, whitish dots on the head, front back and underside. The rear underside is whitish. At the base of the wings there is a white field that becomes visible as a white wing band when in flight. Birds in juvenile plumage resemble the females, but have no bluish tinge to the rump or upper tail-coverts .

voice

The most common expression of the grandala is a soft chiuu , which is often used in various polysyllabic variants. It is difficult to distinguish between call and song. Since the species is very social, it doesn't seem to have any real territory singing. It is possible, however, that a quick, soft series of sounds is singing. Furthermore, a high, piercing and finch-like tji-u or tju-ti , a high - pitched di di di and, during courtship, a series that sounds roughly like fit-fit-füt-fidü are described.

Distribution and existence

The distribution area of ​​the Grandala extends from the north-western Himalayas eastward to Bhutan and from eastern Qinghai and southwestern Gansu southward to northern Yunnan . It was also found in northern Myanmar in winter . The species is not threatened and is even common in the Himalayas. In China it occurs more scattered, but can also be more common locally.

Way of life

The Grandala occurs far above the tree line at heights of 3900 to 5500 m, where it populates alpine meadows interspersed with boulders or mountain meadows, scree slopes or rock ridges above the dwarf shrub zone. In winter it is sometimes found in somewhat lower elevations between 3000 and 4300, more rarely up to 2000 m altitude on slopes and mountain ridges. It is very sociable and can often be found in restless troops, which are noticeable by frequent flapping of the wings and spreading of the tail. The food consists of insects and berries, with foraging mainly on the ground. In autumn, fruits are also consumed in orchards. The breeding season is between May and July. The large, bowl-shaped nest is built on ledges in steep cliffs, consists of dry grass and is lined with moss and feathers. The clutch consists of two eggs that are spotted reddish-brown on a greenish-white background and purple markings.

literature

  • Nigel Collar: Grandala (Grandala coelicolor) (2005), In: J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, AD Christie, E. de Juana (eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2014.
  • Christopher M. Perrins : The Great Encyclopedia of Birds. in cooperation with the International Council for Bird Protection (ICBP), Orbis Verlag für Publizistik GmbH, Munich 1995, ISBN 3-572-00702-X , p. 268.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Our Taxonomy . In: J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, DA Christie & E. de Juana, E. (Eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive . Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ( hbw.com [accessed August 28, 2018]).

Web links

Commons : Grandala coelicolor  - collection of images, videos and audio files